Stanley Baxter, Cornwell Scout
The Morecambe Guardian,
Saturday 19th November, 1938
Scouts VC
WON BY MORECAMBE BOY
Devotion To Duty
Smiling bravely, 14-year-old Patrol-Leader Stanley Baxter of the 1st Morecambe troop, stood before County Commissioner Mr T.W. Helme at the annual meeting of the Morecambe & Heysham Boy Scout Association on Monday night to receive the most coveted honour in the scouting world - The Cornwall (sic) Scout Decoration for bravery and endurance during illness."
So rare is the honour that it is known as the VC of the scouting world.
For two and a half years he has suffered pain, undergone operations, and had to be wheeled about in an invalid chair, but such was his cheerfulness and fortitude that he earned for himself the name of "The Smiling Scout."
FIRST TIME IN NORTH-WEST LANCASHIRE
To commemorate the occasion, after Mr T.W. Helme had made the presentation, Baxter presented him with a signed photo of himself standing outside his home on crutches. Mr Helme congratulated Baxter and said that it was the first time in North West Lancashire that they had received a Cornwall award.
The Mayor (Coun R.W. Williams) who presided, said he could well remember the scouts movement starting. After Baden Powell's work in South Africa everybody thought that he had done enough. But Baden Powell did not. The Boy Scouts movement was a brotherhood which made people understand that the object of living was to serve others. The Girl Guide movement supplemented the work commenced by Baden Powell.
"The Boy Scout movement takes an intricate part in the life of the country and the life of the world", he said. "Your work is such that the country is glad of your assistance as was demonstrated in the recent crisis. All over the country the Boy Scout organisations were sought after and their services used."
A SATISFACTORY INCREASE
The secretary (Mr. G.S. Evenden) presented his report and said that the number of Scouts and Scouters in the district showed a satisfactory increase, there being now 29 Scouters and 219 scouts, Rovers and Wolf Cubs making a total of 248, compared with 214 last year. "During the year one more troop has been registered", he said. "It was the 2nd Morecambe & Heysham making now 8 groups or troops in this Association."
He urged that greater interest be taken in the lay members. The outstanding feature of the year was the boy scouts national appeal and although Morecambe Scouts confined their efforts to one week. They gave £21 19s 6d to the National Fund.
A balance in hand of £14 14s 9d was reported by the Treasurer, Mr H. Yates but there were debts of £3 1s which decreased the balance to £11 13s 9d an increase of £1 10s on the previous balance sheet.
Confidence in the advance of scouting was expressed by the Badge Secretary Mr A.W.J. Antenen who said "In consideration of the 75 tenderfoot and 31 tenderpad badges that have been issued I am confident of a greater demand for proficiency badges during the next year."
During the past year 28 Ambulance, 20 cyclist, 24 pathfinder and 22 Swimmer badges have been issued.
"The Groups which have been most outstanding are 4th Morecambe & Heysham Scouts and Sea Scouts. Two King's Scout, 2 Green & Yellow Cords, 3 First Class and 63 proficiency badges, including 7 interpreter badges. He offered special congratulations to the scouts who had been awarded the interpreter badges.
The first Morecambe & Heysham group had obtained one Green & Yellow Cords, 2 First Class, 54 proficiency badges, including 6 athlete and Master at Arms".
He drew attention to the unlimited possibilities at the disposal of the scouts in the needs of National Service particularly in relation to ARP work. "During the war scouts at home were able to serve the country in a variety of ways" he said. " And today we should be no less prepared to do the same and in the future".
Mr T.W. Helme introduced the new district commissioner and said that the district had got a good man.
MUST DO SOMETHING FOR PEACE
"I am perfectly certain all the countries of the world urgently desire peace, but if we want peace we must do something for it. If you can spread the scouts idea it will spread throughout the world in general."
"Most of them professed Christian faith. It was their ideal and they ought to try and build scouting on those lines. In the totalitarian states scouting is crushed because the rules there do not believe in a movement which help boys to think for themselves. That is not wanted there."
"We must make scouting move with the times. Nothing remains static, though I don't want you to get away from the basic principles" he said.
He urged them to learn as much as they could so as best to serve the country. Headquarters have recently sent out a request to all troops to supply information as to what scouts would be able to do during a time of crisis if it ever arose. We should be prepared to show what we can do if another crisis does arise. He urged that Scouters should fit themselves to take over the work of their superiors if they happened to be called to war.
Mr J.D. Drummond, the recently appointed district commissioner, gave a lighthearted speech though with a deep vein of truth lying behind his humour.
"There is something about scouting which does not flourish in totalitarian states as it flourishes in democracies which we all love and which we want to keep", he said. " Mass hysteria and mob violence such as we have seen over the water in the past week would be made almost impossible if the people of the world followed the idea of scouting."
Asked by Mr Helme at the conclusion of the meeting of (sic) he would care to become a scout, the Mayor (Coun. R. W. Williams) replied "on one condition". "As long as you don't make me walk in shorts to my civic duties". Mr Helme assured him, amidst laughter, that there was no danger of that and the Mayor was initiated into the boy scout movement.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Mayor by Mr Helme and Mr P. Hughes.
Officers elected were: President, the Mayor (Coun R.W. Williams); chairman, Mr P. Hughes; vice-Presidents, Messrs F. Clayton, J. Knape, T. Pickles, J.F. Carter, G.P. Fowler, R. Todd, T.S. Hilton, E. E. Unsworth, E. Binns, G.N. Armstrong, Dr's Schofield and MacFadzean; Secretary, Mr G. S. Evenden, assistant Secretary Mr E. Lowe; treasurer Mr H. Yates; hon auditor Mr H. Gee; Badge Secretary Mr A.W.J. Antenen; executive committee Messrs J.F. Carter, H. Morgans, H. Priestley, P. Hughes, Brown, Mrs S.A. Wolfenden, Inspector Bennett of the RSPCA and the Rev. David Ll Jones. Scouters incorporated on the committee were Messrs G. Whittles, Shirley, Sawley, Makin, Wilson, King, Todd and Rev. Noel F. Tripp. Sea Scout committee Capt. Nurse, Messrs Gardner, J. Morley, H. Dugdale, and F. Woodhouse. County Scout Council representatives Mr G.S.Evenden and Mr P. Hughes.
